Approximately 125 million workers worldwide are exposed to asbestos on the job, which results in at least 90,000 deaths every year, said the World Health Organization last Friday. According to the agency, one in every 10 cancer deaths is linked to hazards in the workplace—including exposure to asbestos, benzene, and second-hand tobacco smoke.
Nearly everyone is exposed to asbestos at some time during their life. However, most people do not become ill from their exposure.
People who become ill from asbestos are usually those who are exposed to it on a regular basis, most often in a job where they work directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact. Asbestos exposure has been linked to a number of life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer and Mesothelioma. The latency period between the time of exposure to asbestos, the diseases do not surface for 20-40 years. Asbestosis is the scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure.Workers who manufacture or use asbestos products and have high exposures to asbestos are often affected with asbestosis.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the chest and abdomen lining.
